Mardi Gras Celebration Kicks Off At Busch Gardens In Tampa
I love Mardi Gras at Busch Gardens. It’s in full swing now at the amusement park.
Not only can you enjoy New Orleans style treats, but you can enjoy Mardi Gras parades, too. It’s all happening at the park through March 5. Enjoy the jazz music and Mardi Gras beads.
The Mardi Gras-style menu will transport you to N’awlins with the Crawfish etouffee, beignets, and po’ boy sandwiches. And you can enjoy the signature Bourbon Street festival drink…Hurricanes!
The stilt walkers and colorful costumes really set the tone of the environment. You don’t want to miss this special time of year at Busch Gardens, and it’s perfect timing as it runs along and right after our Gasparilla weekends so you can keep the festival and parade mood going into March.
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Roxanne's Favorite Tampa Gasparilla Moments From Past Years
Growing up in the Tampa Bay area has been so much fun because I’ve been able to experience Gasparilla from so many different angles. In my twenties, I was pretty focused on the Ybor City night parade. I don’t exactly remember all of those moments.
I went through my photos from the past decade or so and recalled memories of Gasparilla in the past. Back in 2015, I was hosting a TV show with Debra Schrils, and the week leading up to the Gasparilla parade was always fun because we had guests from various floats, crews, and non-profit organizations come on the show.
It’s always fun to wander up and down Bayshore Blvd and either watch the parade or go to parties in houses along Bayshore, but in 2016, I experienced my first Gasparilla by boat. That’s my favorite way just because it is so cool being part of the flotilla.
The best part of Gasparilla is the people watching and you can do that by land or by sea.
We introduced my oldest daughter to Gasparilla when she was one years old. We took her down to our friend’s condo on Bayshore, and we walked down by the floats before they took off in the parade. Then we watched the parade from the balcony of the condo.
Last year, MJ was named Grand Marshall of the night parade in Ybor City so we went to meet him and rode in the jeep through the parade with him. It was a blast throwing out beads.
Whatever you do at Gasparilla, make sure you don’t drive if you are drinking and try to stay with your group. I believe Gasparilla is the third biggest festival in the country. I know Mardi Gras would be number one. It’s so much fun and so unique to Tampa.
Roxanne is a co-host on the MJ Morning Show and host of Middays on Q105 in Tampa Bay. She also hosts segments on The Current, which features local feel-good stories and health and wellness segments, and airs on five of the six Tampa-based Beasley Media Group stations. Roxanne has conducted hundreds of interviews, from athletes to Oscar winners, including Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Chadwick Boseman. She also specializes in media training, having worked with clients in the NFL, NBA and WWE for television, in print, and online. Roxanne is a published author and will be releasing a thriller novel in 2024. Her favorite thing in the world is being with her two daughters and husband. As a content creator for Q105, Roxanne writes about family activities in the Tampa Bay area, as well as reviews for local restaurants and travel.